Refrigerating apparatus



Jan. 1, 1963 J. w. JACOBS 3,070,971

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 26, 1959 H I l l,

IN V EN TOR.

ms ,rromviy 3,070,971 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS James W. Jacobs, 'Dayton,-0hio, 'assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 26, 1959, Ser. No. 836,266 7 Claims. (Cl. 62-78) This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to a system designed to not only cool the air but also to remove dust particles therefrom.

It has been found that when a refrigerant flows through a capillary tube type of restrictor, a voltage is generated by the refrigerant flowing through the restrictor. In this invention, it is contemplated that the voltage generated by the gas flowing through the restrictor will be used to electrostatically precipitate dust particles from the air.

It is an object of this invention to so design a refrigerating system as to make it possible to utilize the voltage generated by the flow of refrigerant through a capillary tube type restrictor for electrically charging a body of air and for also removing dust particles from the air being cooled.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention are clearly shown.

In the drawing:

The sole FIGURE of the drawing schematically shows a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown, reference numeral 10 designates a conventional motor-compressor unit which serves to compress refrigerant vapor and to discharge it into a condenser 12 from whence the refrigerant is fed under pressure to a capillary tube type restrictor '14 which feeds the refrigerant at a reduced pressure into a conventional evaporator 16'. The evaporator 16 is located in the path of the air to be cooled and conditioned and its outlet is connected to the inlet of the compressor 10 as shown.

Reference numeral 30 is used to designate the conditioned space. For purposes of illustration, the evaporator has been shown located directly in the space to be conditioned whereas it could be located in an air duct or in any other suitable location. A fan unit 32 has been provided for circulating the air to be conditioned in thermal exchange with the evaporator 16 and thereafter over the capillary tube restrictor 14.

The capillary tube restrictor 14 is preferably made of copper but can be made of other materials such as aluminum or Monel and is connected in the refrigerant circuit by means of voltage isolators designated by the reference numerals 20 and 22. These isolators are made of glass but any other well known electrical insulating material could be used. The entire caplilary tube can also be made of glass if desired. It has been found that a copper restrictor tube fifty-three inches long and having an inside diameter of .059 inch and an outside diameter of .112 inch will serve the purpose.

The refrigerant used in the system is preferably monochlorodifluoromethane, which is known as F-22, as this refrigerant will generate a voltage of approximately 8000 volts when flowing through the capillary tube.

The degree and polarity of the charge of electricity tent 0? Patented Jan. 1, 1963 generated by the refrigerant flowing through the restrictor differs with different refrigerants. Thus, F-22 causes a copper capillary tube to be anodic or to have a positive charge and the flowing refrigerant is then the cathode and is negatively charged. F-l2 (difluorodichloromethane) yields much lower potentials than F-22 and causes a copper capillary tube to become the cathode and the flowing refrigerant the anode. An azeotropic mixture of F-22 and 25% F-12 could also be used as the refrigerant but is less effective in generating an electric charge than is P-22 when used alone.

Due to the voltage generated in the capillary tube re strictor by the refrigerant flowing through the restrictor, the air flowing over the capillary tube restrictor becomes ionized. An excess of negative ions in the air leaving the capillary tube restrictor produces a sense of well-being to the persons subjected to the ionized air. Furthermore, the potential generated by the refrigerant flowing through the capillary tube restrictor serves to render the restrictor effective in precipitating fine particles of dust from the air flowing over the capillary tube restrictor.

In the arrangement shown for purposes of illustration, reference numeral 24 designates a machinery compartment in which a compressor 10, condenser cooling fan 26 and condenser 12 are located.

By virtue of the arrangement shown it is possible to ionize the air and filter out dust particles using the basic components of a refrigerating system without adding any expensive equipment. In the system shown and described herein the capillary restictor tube is used to generate the voltage whereas a separate and larger tube could be used if desired for generating the necessary voltage.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In an air conditioning system, means for liquefying a refrigerant, a capillary tube restrictor, means for supplying the liquefied refrigerant to the inlet of said capillary tube, means for withdrawing the refrigerant from the outlet of said capillary tube so as to establish a pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of said restrictor, means for electrostatically isolating said capillary tube from the remainder of said air conditioning system, and means for circulating air to be conditioned over said capillary tube restrictor.

2. In combination, a capillary tube, means for supplying fluid under pressure to the inlet of said capillary tube, means for withdrawing fluid from the outlet end of said capillary tube, means for electrostatically isolating said capillary tube, and means for circulating air to be conditioned over said capillary tube so as to be ionized thereby.

3. The method of ionizing air which comprises circulating a fluid under pressure through a capillary tube restrictor while the restrictor is isolated electrostatically, and flowing air over said capillary tube restrictor so as to ionize the air.

4. In an air conditioning system, a refrigerant liquefying means, a capilary tube restrictor connected to the outlet of said means, refrigerant vaporizing means connected to the outlet of said capillary tube restrictor, means for electrostatically isolating said capillary tube restrictor from the rest of said system, and means for flowing air to be conditioned over said capillary tube restrictor so as to be ionized thereby.

5. In combination, a capillary tube, means for electrostatically isolating said tube, means for supplying a fluid under pressure to the inlet of said tube, said fluid being capable of generating an electrical potential in said tube, means for withdrawing the fluid from the outlet of said tube, and means for circulating air to be conditioned over said capillary tube.

6. In combination, a capillary tube, means for electrostatically isolating said tube, means for supplying a fluid under pressure to the inlet of said tube, said fluid being capable of generating an electrical potential in said tube, means for withdrawing the fluid from the outlet of said tube, and means for circulating air to be conditioned over said capillary tube, said fluid comprising monochlorodifluoromethane.

7. In combination, a capillary tube, means for electrostatically isolating said tube, means for supplying a first fluid under pressure to the inlet of said tube, said fluid being capable of generating an electrical potential in said tube, means for withdrawing said fluid from the outlet of said tube, and means for circulating a second fluid to be conditioned over said capillary tube, said first fluid cornprising difluorodichloromethane.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,803,074 Schickler Apr. 28, 1931 2,428,667 Henriquez Oct. 8, 1947 2,909,196 Jeffreys Oct. 20, 1959 2,912,831 Palmatier Nov. 17, 1959 

2. IN COMBINATION, A CAPILLARY TUBE, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE TO THE INLET OF SAID CAPILLARY TUBE, MEANS FOR WITHDRAWING FLUID FROM THE OUTLET END OF SAID CAPILLARY TUBE, MEANS FOR ELECTROSTATICALLY ISOLATING SAID CAPILLARY TUBE, AND MEANS FOR CIRCULATING AIR TO BE CONDITIONED OVER SAID CAPILLARY TUBE SO AS TO BE IONIZED THEREBY. 